At least 26 people were killed and many more injured in three explosions Tuesday morning in Brussels, Belgium. Two of the explosions happened at the airport. One bomb exploded at a metro center in the center of Brussels. The two explosions at Zaventem airport happened at about 8 in the morning. Local reports say a third, unexploded bomb had been discovered at the airport. An airport worker told the Associated Press that the first explosion happened at Swissport counters and the second blast was at a Starbucks coffee shop. A Belgian government lawyer said that a suicide bomber was likely responsible for one of the airport attacks. Local media reported someone shouted words in the Arabic language at the airport before the explosions. A spokesman for the Brussels Metro said the explosion on a train at the Maelbeck underground train station killed 15 people and injured 55. The explosion happened at around 9 in the morning, a time when the station is busiest. Many European Union organizations are headquartered near the station. Local reports said people left the station with burns and wounds. The reports said many people were panicking. Belgian officials increased the security level in the country to 4, the highest level. The Brussels airport has cancelled all flights, and the city’s train service, train stations and museums have been closed. Officials told people who have not already departed for work to stay home. And they have told those already at their offices to remain there. On the social networking website Twitter, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said “We are following the situation minute by minute. The first priority goes to victims and those inside the airport.” The attacks happened just days after the arrest of Salah Abdeslam in Brussels. He is accused of being one of the leaders of the deadly Paris terrorist attacks in November. Some experts feared that his supporters would answer his arrest with attacks in Brussels. I’m Christopher Jones-Cruise. Correspondent Lisa Bryant reported this story from Paris. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story metro - n. underground train system; subway
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